Chapter 2

Edward's face darkened instantly.

He reached out and forcefully gripped the hand I had pressed against his chest.

His tone carried a mix of displeasure and genuine amusement. "Usually, you're completely unresponsive. Where did this come from?"

He stepped closer, his voice dripping with mockery. "What? Has your fear of physical touch miraculously cured itself?"

When we first met, my therapist informed him of my condition.

I suffered from a severe aversion to physical contact, especially intimacy.

Even though I had been by his side for over a year, we had barely even held hands.

Edward was irritated by it initially, but I catered to his and his son's every demand.

I didn't want his money, nor did I ever interfere with his lifestyle or the women he saw.

To him, I was merely an unpaid maid, making my quirks entirely tolerable.

I stared at the intricate design, completely unable to look away.

My voice trembled uncontrollably as I repeated the question, "Is this a temporary sticker or a tattoo?"

The crimson birthmark over his heart had been entirely covered by a design featuring three tiny figures, leaving not a single trace of the original mark visible.

Edward shook off my hand with obvious disappointment and let out a cold scoff. "I gave you too much credit. You really are a block of wood."

I took a quick step forward, blocking his path for the very first time. "So, it is a real tattoo?"

My eyes started to well up, and my entire body began to shake.

Edward shot me an impatient look. "So what if it's inked? I got it done with Nathan and Claire. A family of three."

He paused, casting a careless glance my way. "What, do you honestly believe you have the right to dictate my choices now?"

He shoved me aside and strode into the bathroom.

Through my blurred vision, I watched his retreating back.

His skin was pale, entirely different from the sun-kissed complexion locked in my memories.

I looked at the black shirt stuffed into my hands.

He had abandoned me right where I was, walking into the bathroom and shutting the door with utter indifference.

I pictured those eyes that always stared at me with mockery and provocation.

A sudden realization hit me. They were not actually alike.

They were never identical to begin with, only sharing a slight resemblance in the shape of their eyes.

Whenever they showed real emotion, they were clearly two entirely different men.

As time passed, even that faint resemblance seemed to fade.

The only thing that remained truly identical was that crimson mark over his heart.

And now, the mark was gone.

Outside the bedroom, Nathan pounded heavily on the door, shouting at the top of his lungs. "Hey, you clingy pest. Come out and make some late-night snacks. My mom says she is a little hungry."

I stood frozen in place, offering no response.

It felt as though an invisible force had pinned me to the floor. I couldn't move a single muscle for the longest time.

A long time passed before I slowly walked over to the bathroom door.

The sound of running water echoed from inside.

I raised my hand, knocked against the wood, and spoke, "Edward, we need to end this."

*****

The shower was running too loudly, and Edward likely never heard my words.

I turned around and headed for the exit, only catching his slightly raised voice. "Bring a towel in here."

It was his usual indifferent, commanding tone.

I didn't pause for a second. Pulling the bedroom door open, I walked out.

Out in the hallway, Nathan glared at me with puffed-up cheeks.

"Hey, I am talking to you. Are you deaf or something, taking this long to come out?" he shouted.

I hesitated for a moment.

After a moment of thought, I decided against packing any luggage. I grabbed my car keys and headed straight downstairs to leave.

When I originally moved to Harbor City, I had left all my personal belongings behind.

Nothing I had purchased here was worth taking with me.

As I stepped through the front door, Nathan yelled after me, "Hey, where are you going? You have not made the food yet. If you ignore me, I am going to tell my dad to ban you from ever coming back."

Aside from his age, he was absolutely nothing like my sweet, gentle little boy.

I turned around and took one last look at this child, whom I had cared for with all my heart for over a year.

I told him calmly, "There will be no next time. I will not be returning."

Nathan's face went completely blank.

I walked through the rain to my car.

I walked out into the pouring rain toward my car. As I pulled the door open and climbed in, I heard his awkward shouting. "You are lying. You could never bear to stay away."

I shut the car door securely, blocking out all the noise from the outside world.

I drove continuously for over six hours.

When Edward finally called me, it was four in the morning, and I had already arrived in Northville.

Over the phone, his voice was laced with pure fury. "What are you making a fuss about out of nowhere? Since when do you throw fits like a little girl? You're way too old to be playing this game."

I hung up without a second thought.

Without Edward's face as a distraction, his voice sounded absolutely nothing like Freddie White's.

A text message from Edward chimed moments later: [I am warning you. I do not play these games. Get back here within the hour, or you will never set foot in this house again. You will end up crying over this.]

I furrowed my brows and blocked his number.

It had been quite some time since I last visited my home in Northville.

I spent hours scrubbing the place from top to bottom.

I stuffed the clothes I had worn from Harbor City into a garbage bag and threw them out.

Then, I stepped into the bathroom and drew a warm bath.

Outside the window, dawn was starting to break.

Steam filled the room as I leaned against the edge of the tub, swiftly drifting into a deep sleep.

As my consciousness drifted, I could vividly hear Freddie calling my name with affectionate exasperation. "You are always doing this. You'll catch a cold whenever I am not home."

It felt incredibly real, almost as if I could actually turn back time.